K-pop for ChildAid

Dice, a group of Koreans studying at NUS High, will perform at the concert in Marina Bay Sands. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

By Ang Yiying

K-pop has been added to the line-up for annual charity concert ChildAid next month. Rock band Dice, made up of five Korean teens studying in Singapore, will perform a rock version of Korean rapper Psy's hit Gangnam Style. Another group of teenage girls from different schools here will sing and dance to the English version of K-pop girl group Girls Generations' The Boys.

Show director Jeremiah Choy, 50, said: "Everything comes with a twist to it. It's never quite what it seems in the programme. The feel of the concert is slightly more edgy and there is more input from the performers themselves."

In addition to K-pop songs, hits that made it big on YouTube such as Carly Rae Jepsen's hit Call Me Maybe will also be performed at the concert on Dec 7 and 8 at Marina Bay Sands Grand Theater, the official venue partner.

This year's concert will include about 210 performers: some 140 who will sing, dance or play musical instruments, mostly accompanied by a 70-strong orchestra.

Proceeds from ChildAid will go to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund which helps children from low-income families with their school-related expenses; and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, a programme under The Old Parliament House which gives an arts education to underprivileged but artistically gifted kids.

With the theme Electric Edition, concertgoers can look forward to song-and-dance numbers of popular songs, piano and strings performances by local and regional young musicians and dances of different genres from ballet to hip-hop.

At least three youngsters from this year's crop of talent were identified from their videos on YouTube and invited to apply for ChildAid by the organisers.

Dominic Chin, 17, who responded to an invitation and successfully applied to perform at the concert, will be singing a medley of popular songs with other performers.

Said the Hillgrove Secondary School student: "I'm really happy I can give back to society. I think it's for a really good cause."

For their application for ChildAid, Dice sent a video of themselves performing K-pop girl group Wonder Girls' Nobody in headbanging fashion.

The band are made up of five Korean teens studying at the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science: guitarists Fred Nam Hyeonuk, 19, Yae Hyeon Kyeong, 18, bass guitarist Joshua Park Young Joo, 18, drummer Lee Chang Yoon, 17, and lead vocalist Michael Kim Si Jin, 17.

On their choice of Gangnam Style for the concert, Nam said: "We chose it because it is so popular so we thought we can interact with the audience with the song."

Hanis Nazierah Mohd Nazry, 19, a National University of Singapore business school student who will be performing The Boys, said of her experience rehearsing for the concert: "It's really fun. I didn't expect to be singing and dancing at the same time. It's pretty challenging but it's a good challenge."

ChildAid 2012: The Electric Edition will be held on Dec 7 and 8 at Marina Bay Sands Grand Theater. Ticket prices will be announced when sales start later this month. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/ChildAid